Can A 50 Hz Motor Be Run On 60 Hz?

[Tony Wells]

I was about to mention that. Lawsuits finally shut that nonsense down. But it took a while, so there are many mis-marked motors out there.

 

[bfd]

I asked that same question to our motor (electrical) engineer at work but it pertained to a welder gen Lincoln from Europe and I asked if I ran the engine at 3600 rpm would I get 60 hz out of it instead of the rated 50 hz, he said yes that would do it but if I ran it at that increased speed I may cause the rotor to come apart. so to make a long story longer I did and it didn't but then the engine stopped working and I didn't need it so it sits and rusts bill

 

[4GSR]

A place I worked at in the late 1970's bought a No. 5 Milwaukee vertical mill that came out of Western Germany. Besides the mill being all metric, it had a 50 HP motor that ran the spindle. This motor was a 380V 50 Cycle 3 Phase motor. Boss was too cheap the change out that motor for something more realistic that would run on 460V 60 cycle. They hooked it up on 480V 60 cycle. It ran, but ran hot. Motor didn't run continious, so I guess that helped. It was still running when I left there a couple years later.

 

[John Hasler]

A place I worked at in the late 1970's bought a No. 5 Milwaukee vertical mill that came out of Western Germany. Besides the mill being all metric, it had a 50 HP motor that ran the spindle. This motor was a 380V 50 Cycle 3 Phase motor. Boss was too cheap the change out that motor for something more realistic that would run on 460V 60 cycle. They hooked it up on 480V 60 cycle. It ran, but ran hot. Motor didn't run continious, so I guess that helped. It was still running when I left there a couple years later.

The tolerance for 380VAC 50Hz was +10-6% so that motor should have been good for 418VAC at 50 Hz. The V/Hz ratio for 380VAC 50Hz is 7.6. Adding 76 volts we get 494VAC at 60Hz for that motor. Should be fine at 480VAC 60Hz as long as the insulation can stand it (not likely that it can't) and torque is reduced to 80% or less of rated to stay at rated power. Of course, it is also unlikely that your nominal 480 was actually 480 at the motor.